Southampton facing Schneiderlin row

Southampton could face a fight to keep Morgan Schneiderlin after the midfielder appeared to react angrily to assertions he will not be allowed to join the growing exodus from the club.

The club's chairman, Ralph Krueger, insisted earlier on Tuesday that both Schneiderlin and Jay Rodriguez would be staying at the club, amid reported interest from Tottenham and former manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Soon after Krueger's interview with Sky Sports News, Schneiderlin - who joined Southampton in 2008 before they were promoted to the Premier League four years later - took to Twitter with a brief tirade that seemed to indicate his desire to become the sixth player to leave St Mary's this summer.

Southampton having already pocketed almost £100 million from player sales since the end of last season. Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren have all moved to Liverpool while Luke Shaw has signed for Manchester United and Arsenal have taken Calum Chambers to the Emirates Stadium.

Krueger had earlier said: "Jay Rodriguez and Morgan Schneiderlin are not for sale and they will be a part of our club as we enter the new season. They are part of the core that we have decided to keep at Southampton.

"In and around Jay Rodriguez and Morgan Schneiderlin and the rest of our core players, we're excited to continue to build forward, but all those stories are false."

All of the players who have left the club, barring the exception of Luke Shaw, have moved on to sides which will be competing in the Champions League next season and Krueger has accused them of taking the easy route to the top, while defending Southampton's transfer policy.

"We entered the transfer window with a plan. We have a clear strategic approach to this summer and we did not put any players up for sale," he added. "It was quite clear that we had multiple players interested in taking a shortcut to Champions League football.

"We set premiums on the players and we reached those premiums. It was in the best interests of the club and in the best interests of our rebuild to make these deals and to continue to build forward with players and with the team that wants to go the hard way into Europe.

"There was interest there and we saw that interest brewing a little bit before the World Cup and quite clearly we stayed patient, we didn't make quick deals in any way, shape or form.

"None of these deals were made on financial reasons alone, we were completely ready to have players stay in Southampton even against their desires if we didn't reach our prices."

Ronald Koeman has already begun rebuilding his squad by adding Eredivisie pair Dusan Tadic and Graziano Pelle but will still be hoping to bring in several other names.

Krueger insists Koeman will be fully backed in the transfer market but insists the club's transfer business might not be completed before Southampton kick off their Premier League campaign at Liverpool on August 17.

"We are excited to continue in the rebuilding process in the next few weeks," Krueger said. "We will have players coming in, we will make transfers to strengthen the squad. I can understand some frustration but we needed to stay silent to do the best deals for the club.

"Ronald Koeman has done an outstanding job so far. We are extremely pleased with the work going on at St Mary's and we know we are going in the right way but we also know that we need more players and that we need more depth.

"It is not about getting them in today or tomorrow, it is about getting the right players in on the right deal that fits the way Ronald wants to play. We want to give him the players that are necessary - of course we would like to see them in sooner rather than later but we will make the deals when the time is right for the club.

"It is come to September that is judgement day and I think people need to realise we are in a process right now. The match is far from over and on September 1 let's have a conversation."

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